How to improve productivity in coding

Being productive is an ideal state that everyone wishes to achieve when performing a task. It allows you to produce quality work and helps you work faster and more efficiently, improving your confidence – making you feel good with yourself and your achievements.

In coding, productivity can be difficult to measure due to the differences in task complexities. Developers often measure productivity using LOC (Line of Code) and the quality of code written. A productive developer can code faster and write high-quality code – which is what employers regularly look for when hiring. But, staying productive is not easy. Coding can be mentally demanding and challenging as a profession which can lead to burnout. However, adopting healthy work ethic and habits can help boost productivity levels sustainably.

Here are some tips on how you can improve productivity in coding:

1. Minimize your distractions

A Software Developers job is demanding as they need to work on complex problems on a day to day basis which requires a high level of focus. It only takes a few seconds to get out of your flow, yet it takes between 10-15 minutes to get back into it. Maintaining focus and concentration is not easy especially if you have a lot of distractions around you. This could be in the form of answering phone calls, social media notifications, responding to emails, office chatter and more. Minimizing your distractions will help you create a more peaceful and productive work environment.

Some of the ways you can reduce distractions include:

• Putting your phone on silent mode when working
• Turn off notification alerts on your phone and computer
• Set a specified time to check respond to emails and phone calls
• Decrease the number of windows and tabs open
• Set a time limit on social media applications

These changes will help you stay focused and prevent you from wasting time on matters that are irrelevant to your work. Remember, productivity and focus come hand in hand.

2. Stop multitasking

You might think that through multitasking you will be able to get things done faster and more productively. But the reality is that multitasking actually takes a toll on your productivity. Our brains are not designed to perform more than one task at a time as it can lead to mental overload. This is especially true when you are handling two different complex tasks at the same time. When you try to do multiple things together, switching between tasks ends up becoming a distraction. As aforementioned, distractions disrupt your focus. In addition, multitasking may also lead you to producing poorer quality of work. It is recommended to focus on a single task and moving on to the other once you have completed it.

3. Automate

Doing repetitive tasks can be frustrating and monotonous which can reduce your productivity levels. Typing in code can be a daunting task that will easily break your productive flow. As someone who codes, take full advantage of automation to help you focus on bigger tasks. Learn to write automation scripts and automate the things you do repeatedly. For example, including command lines, compiling code, migrating data into the database, refactoring and so much more. Learning to automate will allow you to be more productive as well as save your time from doing repetitive and not to mention, boring tasks.

4. Take breaks

The pressure of societal norms has made us think that taking breaks makes you less productive. In contrary, it actually helps improve productivity! Studies have shown that taking breaks throughout the day leads to greater productivity, improved job satisfaction and overall well-being.

We recommend using the Pomodoro Technique when performing tasks which is a great way to remind yourself to take a break. It is also a great time-management method to break down work and rest in intervals. Staring at your screen for hours on end can be mentally taxing, so taking a break can help you refresh and improve your focus better.

5. Schedule your tasks

Whether you are working from home or working in the office, setting a schedule for your work tasks of the day is a great way to stay productive. It allows you to keep track of your time in completing tasks to get the best of your day. By analyzing your working style, you will be able to identify which hours of the day you perform better and set the most critical tasks to those hours. You can also schedule your breaks and manage your time more efficiently. Scheduling your tasks will keep you organized throughout the day and help you stay productive.

6. Keep learning

It is easy to be complacent and to fall out of the habit of continuous learning. But productivity will also depend on your skills. The more you learn, the more you are able to do something. In coding, the more experience and knowledge you have, the better you will be at solving problems and writing quality lines of code. Always invest in yourself and your knowledge to improve your productivity. Explore new tools, read a book, work on side projects, complete courses, and learn from other developers. There are many ways to keep growing and learning to optimize your productivity further.

Developing healthy work ethic and habits are the key to improving your productivity. However, there is no one size fits all approach. Hopefully this article will inspire you to try out different ways that will be a sustainable fit for you to stay productive in the long run.

Interested in learning to code? Visit our website to learn more on how you can become a Software Developer!

Let’s get social! Find us on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joinsigma/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinsigma/

Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/company/79085028/